SELINIAN TECHNOLOGY and SCIENCES
Overview Selinian technology is based on different foundations than what is found in most universes, most notably the MASS EFFECT and BABYLON-5 universes. Their technology is extrapolated off real science and physics, although I have had to use imagination to fill in the inevitable gaps due to the extremely advanced technology involved. There are unfortunate similarities to some things found in other universes, which is unavoidable, but in the end it's the differences that make the most important statements. The Selinian Ta' Zhakell ('Personal Weapon') may have some similarities to the Go'A'Uld 'hand device' from STARGATE SG-1, but the same could be said of the prototype repulsor gauntlets seen in the IRON MAN movies. Selinian technology and science is extremely advanced because they've been around for one-hundred and fifty Millenia while also having had the Prime Mother Lyllith to keep them from stumbling into an extended Dark Ages for the first two Millenia of their existence and she had a wealth of advanced knowledge she imparted to her children resulting in a very quick ascension up the technological development ladder. Some aspects of Selinian technology, such as Hard-Light and plasma windows, are known to Humanity today purely as theory or small-scale experiments--but given enough time, almost any theory can be made into a practical application. Some people have asked me where Selinian technology 'fits' relative to STAR TREK, STAR WARS, and other notable sci-fi franchises. The problem is quantifying things. I deal with real math and physics as much as I can, and 'safe' extrapolations where I have to go out on a limb. Most of the 'technical' resources for other universes are rarely based on real math, instead they're based off numbers that sound good...and generally lack consistency. In many STAR TREK products one can find a variety of output values for the warp core and other aspects of vehicle operation regarding starships. In my work, the values remain consistent. Hell, that's why I'm building this wiki, to serve as a Literator's Guide, so that if others want to play in my universes, they can and have an easier time keeping consistency accurate. Also, there's always people who want to have a look under the hood and see how the technology and stuff works. Also, it'll help me from getting lost, making mistakes and messing up my own rules. Credit & Gratitude Where It Is Due I have to give an enormous amount of credit to Martin, my extremely patient hubby who entertains my questions and use of him as a sounding-board as well as John, Martin's friend of 35 years that I have come to know and love like an older brother. He's been an incredible help in fleshing out my sci-fi thoughts and making things work. And spotting spelling errors. Marlene38EE 05:17, August 29, 2012 (UTC) 'FASTER than LIGHT Capabilities' (FtL) Notes On Supraluminal Physics: I don't try to write 'Hard' sci-fi, but I like to keep Realism and Believability in the mix. To that end, my Supraluminal technologies are all in accordance with the accepted sciences and disciplines of; 11th Dimension Physics Clarke's Laws Niven's Laws Supergravity Physics M-Theory and Pataphysics Yes, some of those links are just meant to be fun, but if you're anywhere near interested in writing yourself, read Clarke's and Niven's Laws along with Pataphysics for a good chuckle but also some things to consider. Marlene38EE 05:17, August 29, 2012 (UTC) Vector-Warp Engines ' ' To give credit where it's due, this engine system is based off and extrapolated from the Alcubierre Drive found here; ALCUBIERRE DRIVE Because it's a purely theoretical mechanism and Humanity has so immensely more to learn about physics and such, I used this as the Base ''to ''Extrapolate ''what I wanted for my writings from it. 'Over-easy' sci-fi. Selinian Faster than Light engines are true engines, and not merely drives or 'motors', as found throughout sci-fi. As an example, the warp 'engines' in star trek don't generate power, the power is generated in the engine core/warp core and channelled to the nacelles where it's used to energize coils that generate the warp field to propel the ship. I prefer calling something an engine only if it genuinely IS an engine. Meaning, it must produce energy and work ''directly ''from it's operation...like a car engine. The warp drive systems in Star Trek are 'motors' and NOT engines as they consume energy rather than supplying/generating it. The Selinian Vector-Warp Engine is exactly that; an '''engine'. It consumes plasma-state Matter-AntiMatter fuel which is induced into a Critical Density-Energy annihilation reaction while interacting with Exotic matter and energy introduced into the reaction. This reaction directly ''warps space itself and that effect is then controlled to propel and maneuver the vessel. The fuel mix is a plasma, but generally only about five times as energetic as what you'd see in a neon sign in the present day. The fuel mix is blended to specific ratios depending on what's needed from the engines, but imposed electrostatic charge differentials keep the mixed Matter-AntiMatter from annihilating until it reaches the engine's reaction chambers where the plasma is compressed almost- instantaneously using a pulsed field of nuclear force and gravitomagnetism to a density almost sufficient to create a black hole. Large starships have more sophistication in their engine systems. Fusion power is widely used, but is extremely advanced as Selinian fusion reactors fuse Hydrogen to Helium, and then Helium into the next element, and so on until the process produces Iron, which takes too much energy to fuse relative to what is released. This is directed into the fuel system for the V-Warp engines, where part of it is real-time converted in small amounts to Anti-Iron. Selinian ships do not travel with large amounts of antimatter stored, they have the ability to convert what they need ''as-needed and engine systems usually only have a very small 'Surge-Reserve' to handle sudden and unanticipated changes in engine operation and fuel consumption. Some systems convert part of the Hydrogen into Anti-Hydrogen before it's entry into the fusion reactors, where reactors fusing Hydrogen and ones fusing Anti-Hydrogen operate in concert. Hyper-Dimensional FtL Engines (Jump' Engines)' Similar to the 'Jump' engines found in the Re-Imagined Battlestar Galactica, but considerably different. This engine again produces energy and work directly. It does consume fuel, but when at idle it consumes extremely negligible amounts. This engine is easier to leave running than to shut down and re-start, as it takes close to an hour to re-start properly for safe operation. In operation, the engine's discus-shaped plasma-mass core is brought up to a rotational speed of just under C at the centerpoint rotational axis, exotic matter and energy are introduced and the Jump occurs. Unlike BSG which is based on wornhole physics, the HD FtL is based on Quantum Dimensional physics which is an offshoot of both Supergravity and M-Theory physics. The energy generated saturates the vessel's mass, extending from the hull only a few millimetres, and transitions the vessel through the 11th dimension to it's new location. Like in BSG, there is a flash of energy at departure and arrival as well as a highly-localized spacial distortion. Some of the navigational concerns of a jump are such things as relative velocties upon arrival. Without proper consideration of this, disaster can happen. The HD-FtL engine, as part of the jump, and using information input from the Navigation Control system alters the vessel's inertial state on a quantum level by manipulating the 'jump energy' saturating the vessel's mass to properly compensate for relative velocities positive or negative to the destination. If, for example, a ship must gain an additional 60,000 KpS to properly match the solar orbital track of a planet, the engine adjusts the inertial state upward at the moment of jump. Navigation is based off what the ship's sensor capability can determine about the intended destination, or by jump-drone, which goes ahead, and then if it arrives safely it relays real-time navigational data via Quantum Entanglement communication. Of course, vessels in the intended destination area can also supply real-time navigational data themselves, allowing for a BattleCarrier to safely jump right into the middle of a crowded fleet formation safely. Sublight Engine Systems This got tricky sometimes, because Relativistic elements can be more stubborn and annoying than Quantum phenomena relating to FtL. Sovereignty SubLight (SL) engines are extremely powerful and efficient, but for all the power they have very little in the way of exhaust. Simply, engines as powerful as these would normally have enormous exhaust plumes and be devastatingly hazardous if normal technologies were used. To give an idea of how powerful these engines are, imagine something half-again the size and mass of the re-imagined Galactica being able to accelerate at over 120 Gravities. The engines exhaust is 'Virtual mass' particles. The primary reaction chambers are Fusion and stage from Hydrogen through to Iron like the process found in stars, and the Iron is used as reaction mass. However, between leaving the reaction chamber and entering the thrust chamber the iron is subjected to a Nuclear-Force field effect that renders it into a state where it's nothing more than a collection of high mass quarks, mesons and gluons. Once these leave the engine they dissipate very quickly but allow for enormous thrust potentials during their 'lifetime'. Thus, the engines can produce the massive forces required of them but safety in proximity to them is upheld and this also has a tactical aspect in that emissions are much more difficult for an enemy to spot or coincidentally detect whereas a plume from a conventional technology engine outputting the same power would be visible on the Interstellar scale to standard detection instruments---relativistic concerns notwithstanding--and would be a major problem for Tactics and Strategy as well as a hazard to any fleet around such a ship. Part and parcel of the sublight engine system are the Radion Acceleration Cores. Operating on principles of Quantum Gravity, they allow the effect of lessening the mass of the vessel relative to inertial effects, similar to how a Mass Effect field can effectively 'remove' the consideration of a vessel's mass for FTL travel. This effect is not that powerful, but is generated entirely without E-Zero and applies only to the vessel's acceleration, deceleration and maneuvers. For braking, it can effectively magnify and amplify the inertial effects of a vessel's mass and act as a braking system. This technology allows for considerably better vehicle flight performance and immense fuel savings as well as notable lack of stress on hull-frame structure...and means that starships don't have to turn as-backward to their destinations for braking maneuvers. 'Fuel On one hand, as a writer, I can play with fictional elements if I want. Or, I can stick with real-world elements albeit with artificial production of synthetic elements due to extremely-advanced sciences and technology. I decided to opt for Hydrogen, albeit processed into a very high-density metallic form for efficient storage. There's also another aspect of the fuel source the Baseline Sovereignty utilizes that is usable in most universes. It's a mix of Metallic Hydrogen and Uranium 235 with some carbon to bind it into a stable liquid form that can be stored safely without cryogenic tankage. This form of fuel once introduced into the proper type of reactor undergoes a Fusion-Fission reaction as the plasma-state and highly-compressed U-235's neutrons split the Helium back into Hydrogen to undergo Fusion again within the reaction mass inside the reactor. This fuel can and is converted into it's Anti-Matter twin for the applications described above. This Fusion-Fission blended reaction is not 100% efficient and the fuel does 'wear out', but the shattered 'worn out' particles make up a high-density Meson-Quark-Gluon remnant plasma used for thrust. 'WEAPONS, ARMAMENT & MUNITIONS' The weaponry the Sovereignty wields is catastrophically powerful and this applies from the Personal level all the way up to the BattleCarriers. This universe sees a mixed utilization of accelerated-mass projectiles and energy weapons, given the advantages relative to each. 'PERSONAL WEAPONS' Despite the veritable aresenal built into their bodies, Selinians do have technological weapons like most other races. Some are deceptively simple but the product of extremely advanced technology and scientific knowledge, such as the Ta'Zhaakel or 'Personal Weapon'. The Battle Lance is an example of extremely high-quality craftsmanship and a relatively primitive weapon that like a knife, still proves to be emminently useful across the millenia. 'Ta' Zhakell' ('Personal Weapon') The Ta' Zhakell is a device that offers many functions through manipulations of various fields and energies via scale-of-effect. In short, what this means is that in the same way that a lever can let you move weights far larger than you normally could without one, the technology uses the interaction of relatively weak fields on more powerful and larger fields to manipulate and control them, an aspect of Unified Field Theory put to application. Ta' Zhakells are crafted in a wide variety of styles, and the nanoactive metals and materials that they are made from can conform, over time, to the style the owner desires subconcsiously. Ta' Zhakell technology is very intricate, but uses very little energy directly. The device is loaded with Passive Multi-Spectrum Energy Convertors and absorbs local 'waste' energy such as body heat, bioelectrical energy, local heat, light, certain sound frequencies and much of the remaining EM spectrum. The device is controlled via thought, and takes time to 'learn' it's owner's neural system and commands and mastery comes with time and practice. The device has built in limiters to protect the owner and those around them from mistakes while mastery is gained. The variety of effects that a Ta' Zhakell is capable of is widely varied. Generating and discharging a concussive pulse is one, and the area of discharge as well as power can be easily controlled from a precisely-focussed effect suitable to blow out a candle and disturb nothing else to a wide-area effect that can stop a fully-laden eighteen-wheeler travelling at seventy-five miles-per-hour dead in it's tracks. Some users gain enough mastery that they can use the field effects as a form of technological telekinesis with a high level of dexterity. Alternatively, the same high-powered pulse can be narrowed and focussed, concentrating the truck-stopping force on an area of a target only five millimetres in diameter. 'AMBASSADORIAL ENCOUNTER SUIT' The Ambassadorial Encounter Suit has proven over Millenia to be a very useful item for those charged with making contact with foreign species of largely unknown intent and character. Semi-organic nano-active material makes for an incredibly flexible, and powerful multipurpose piece of clothing that also serves as armor and weapon system. The functions commonly used are environmental assessment and protection if required, translation in realtime, recording functions, communications abilities including Quantume Entanglement directly to the Ambassadorial Council, and medical support as well as emergency life-preservation systems that will do almost anything to preserve the life of the individual the suit is keyed to and initialized by. In some ways, it is similar to Ikarran and Sjadow tech--in the same way that a centauri resembles a Mountain Gorilla from Earth. The technology is wholly different from Ikarran and Shadow but nonetheless extremely sophisticated, reliable, self-repairing and powerful. 'STARSHIP ARMAMENT & MUNITIONS' NOTES **THE REALITY ''OF KINETIC-KILL WEAPONS aka; ACCELERATED-MASS WEAPONS** KKWs work off the simple concept of something with mass hitting another object at speed, like throwing a rock at someone. The formula to figure out what sort of energy you’ll get from an impact is: Ke = 0.5 x M x V² Where Ke is kinetic energy in Joules, M is mass of the warhead in kilograms, and V is the velocity in meters per second squared (and this is important) relative to your target. 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of TNT produces 4.184 million (or 4.184e6) Joules, and if you play with the numbers you’ll see that if you keep moving your velocity upwards, your kinetic damage potential goes up '''considerably. In fact, there is Rick Robinson’s First Law of Space Combat, which states that; “An object impacting at 3 km/sec delivers kinetic energy equal to its mass in TNT”. '' Put it another way: put one kilogram of ''anything ''in your gun, fire it at a target, have it impact at 3 kilometers a second. You’ve got yourself the equivalent of 1 kilo of TNT going off. (one stick is about 200 grams, so 5 sticks of TNT.) This gives you a nice little rule of thumb to work with. But what is meant by “relative to your target” in that equation? Keep in mind that if you have KKWs on your ship that means you’re probably shooting at a target that’s moving ''relative ''to you, which means it’s also moving relative to your warhead. What really matters is not that your warhead is leaving your gun at 3 km/sec, but that it’s hitting your target at 3km/sec, and that means to get the same kind of effect, you’ll either have to ramp-up the velocity at which your warhead leaves your gun, or you’ll need to maneuver your ship in a position where you maximize the impact velocities. If your target is pulling away from you, and you fire your warhead at 3 km/sec, the impact is probably going to be much less, meaning your exit velocity will need to be adjusted. On the other hand, if you’re shooting at a ship that is moving really fast ''towards ''you—you’re standing still and it’s flying along at 8 km/sec—you don’t even have to get a lot of velocity behind your warhead; just toss it out an airlock and let that fool hit it, because impact relative to your target is still 8 km/sec, and that’s gonna do a ''lot ''of damage. (Wondering how much damage? 3.2e7, or 32 million, Joules. Which works out to about 8 kilograms pounds, or 40 sticks, of TNT. So, that's 'Ouch' time.) So, with that in mind, should you decide to launch a round straight into the nose of this idiot's ship, maybe at 4 km/sec, and get a combined impact velocity of 12 km/sec, hilarity and upset relatives ensues! '''Attributions:' The above article was found here: SCI FI IDEAS written by Raymond Frazee whose blog can be found here; R. Frazee's Blog 'MATTER CANNON' ' ' Matter Cannon are the final word in accelerated-mass weaponry. Because of the sheer power of these weapons, they only see use on large Military vessels as they are the only ones able to handle the support the weapon needs to function. In the majority of my work, I stick with Realistic science, so there's no way you'll ever see Matter Cannons on something like The Millenium Falcon, I love her like most folks--but physics is physics. A Matter Cannon (MC) utilizes a charge of spheroidal Fullerene carbon molecules Fullerene Info or a single purpose-made warhead per firing. Normally, a cannon fires 1 gram of Fullerene molecules as a single mass bound together with electrostatic fields. Muzzle velocities are in the 99.999%+ of C. The exact nature of the ammo is determined by what's been inserted into the center of each Fullerene molecule as it's an open space and can host many different cargos, some examples; Iron, Plutonium, Tungsten, Lead or nearly anything else or it's Anti-Matter twin suspended inside via manipulations of nuclear force characteristics of the carbon Fullerene. The charge is accelerated down the barrel via electrostatic and electromagnetic methods. Here's a chart of comparitive energy values for comparison of the information below; Energy Magnitudes Matter Cannon firing 1 Gram of Fullerene = 45,000,000,000,000 (4.5 x 10 to the 12th power) 45 Terajoules of impact energy. This does not take into account any relative motion considerations or the effects of what elements the Mass-Packet have been charged with. This is for straight, carbon-cored Fullerene. The alternate mode of munitions allow for the firing of proper shells of a type similar to what's fired by artillery in the present day, in that there's a fuze, warhead and various other components relevant to it's purpose. All shells have a long-duration high-energy booster motor that continues accelerating the shell after it leaves the muzzle. The shells have some ability to correct their flight also. There are various types, but the overall 'standard' is a flexible, multi-mode round that can operate in different ways relevant to it's warhead blast characteristics. The warheads are plasma-based, and explosive yield is variable to a maximum of fifty Kilotons. When firing shells, muzzle velocities are considerably lower than when firing mass charges, but still quite considerable. The average maximum muzzle velocity is around ten-thousand kilometres/second. Here's the math on firing a standard shell, based only on muzzle velocity and excluding ''the acceleration of the booster motor and warhead detonation; 'Matter Cannon firing a 100 kg shell' 100 x 0.5 = 50 kg 50 x 10,000 KpS squared = 100,000,000,000,000 Joules = 100 Terajoules' Here's a chart to see how bad it hurts on impact' and TNT Equivalents Regarding Energy Unlike something like a photon torpedo from Star Trek, these shells impact, ''then ''detonate so it's not a blast of radiation you're dealing with but a 'very real and very solid impact. Between the impact energy and the delayed-action fuze these rounds create significant problems for enemy vessels if they don't just kill them outright. Matter Cannons have an understandably powerful recoil and this is the predominant reason why they see service usually only on large Military ships. The recoil is managed through high-stress linear generator mountings that absorb the recoil and transfer the motion into electrical power. The power generated is used to recharge the weapons primary firing capacitors. Some highly-advanced models utilize a kinetic redirection system based off Acceleration Compensator technology, and absorb the generated recoil forces, rechannelling them into driving the projectile or mass-packet down the barrel. While not 100% efficient it does offset recoil by 50% and enhance performance in firing to a like amount. Matter Cannons are usually turret mounted for practicality, but this does not preclude hull-mounts. Typical armament for a BattleCarrier is 24 to 32 turrets with a few heavier cannons hull-mounted and firing forward, usually 2 to 4. This, of course makes being in front of a BattleCarrier one of the most dangerous places in the Galaxy to be. The arcs of fire available to the dedicated forward cannons is highly limited, but sufficient to offer competent engagement flexibility especially at longer ranges. The range of a Matter Cannon depends on what type of munition is being fired. With Mass-Packets, the range can be as great as 4 Light Seconds (1.2 Million Kilometeres) reliably due to velocity and targetting computer capability in predicting target location. With shells, the ranges for successful hits is less as the shell travels slower although it is steadily accelerating after firing and has some course-correction ability, but is often as great as 240,000 Kilometres reliably and against relatively stationary targets ranges can be as far as competent and reliable targetting ability depending on sensors, computer ability and local interference. Matter cannons firing mass-packets have significant problems penetrating atmospheres to any useful degree, and this is remedied with a Maser emitted jacket that evacuates the atmosphere out of the firing-path, essentially acting like a very brief-lived 'tube' for the mass-packets to travel through. Not perfect, it nonetheless allows a performance of 90% regarding transatmospheric bombardment. When firing shells, this problem is negligible due to the difference between a single solid object versus a mass-packet of electristatically-bound Fullerene molecules. It is still standard procedure to use the maser-jacket to optimize weapon effect though. '''MATTER CANNON AMMUNITION One of the key advantages of the MC is that Mass-Packet ammunition is easy to produce and is normally done shipboard by breaking up and processing carbonaceous asteroids. Also, Fullerene isn't explosive, so a weapon strike to an ammunition reserve of such isn't going to create significant problems. Fullerene is stored with open cores, anything exotic the Mass-Packet will be charged with is done just prior to being loaded into the gun's breech chamber. In addition, they use small amounts of matter very efficiently, thus ammunition reserves are for all intents bottomless. The Cannon shells are plasma-based warhead type, and are stored inert. The mass used in the warhead to create the plasma is a small amount of liquid-state Neon. The booster motors are an electric-plasma type using synthetic diamond dust as reaction mass thus there is extremely little explosion hazard should a shell magazine be hit. Only when the shell is loaded in the breech is the warhead energized and the powercell for the booster motor primed. The shell's warhead, when energized, converts the 1 Fluid Oz of liquid-state Neon to a low-energy but high-density plasma. At a microsecond before impact, the plasma is pumped with additional energy from onboard capacitors to a very high energy state and a collapsing electrostatic-electromagnetic field compresses the plasma mass to ten-thousand times it's previous non-energized liquid density before dissipating within a femtosecond and the Critical-Density plasma of the warhead explodes immediately thereafter in a blast of very high-energy Gamma rays and immense heat on the order of millions of degrees Celsius. 'ENERGY WEAPONS' Energy-based weapons are utilized by the Sovereignty, but are considered 'secondary' weapons due to their lack of flexibility and efficiency compared to accelerated-mass weaponry and being able to select ammunition types. However, as they have other characteristics that are desireable, they are kept fully in service. 'PHASED-PARTICLE BEAM WEAPONS' These ride the thin line between being an energy weapon and a high-energy accelerated-mass weapon. The particle stream discharged is a very thin near-plasma density, but is still handled like a particle beam. It travels at 99.999999% C and is extremely accurate, retaining beam cohesion and collimation over extended distances due to balancing of particle charge-types inside the plasma where the charge differential inside the plasma acts to hold the beam together. The beam rides inside a high-energy Maser 'jacket' which keeps it from being disrupted by local high-intensity electromagnetic forces. These weapons see use in Point-Defense, Close-In defense, and medium-range combat. The beam is proton-heavy, with enough electrons injected into it to maintain beam cohesion at extended ranges. Impact from the beam does damage by direct kinetic impact, electrical charge differentials and an enormous amount of thermal effect. Typically, these weapons are mounted in ball-and-yoke style turrets which retract into the hull when not in use. Effective maximum range for these weapons is generally three hundred thousand to four-hundred and fifty thousand kilometres. 'PLASMA CANNONS' Part of the Close-In Point-Defence weapons batteries these are straightforward weapons that operate in Direct-Fire and Point-Defence modes. These weapons have a high firing rate and a short rcovery phase in their duty cycle and are quite useful in blanketing an area of space quickly and completely. When operating in Point-Defence mode along with the dedicated Point-Defence guns they can make the area around a BattleCarrier extremely dangerous for anything smaller than a Cutter or Corvette class vessel and hazardous for larger vessels. In Point-Defence mode, the plasma bolts are 'set' to dissipate at specific distances to minimize risk to friendly vessels and vehicles. This is achieved by the calibration of the electrostatic balance of the bolt at discharge in a manner replicating certain aspects of 'Ball Lightning'. 'MISSILES' Sovereignty vessels make extensive use of missiles and have developed missile technology to a high degree. Because of the tactical advantages of missile ranges, engagement ranges with a Sovereignty vessel are typically greater than one Light Minute, and in many instances enemy vessels are destroyed or disabled by missile fire long before the range closes to gun-combat distance. Military vessels, with their roaming Electronic Intelligence Surveillance drones and EICUS craft, have a practical engagement range with their missiles measured in Astronomical Units, and can send missiles to almost any point in a solar system. The standard missile is a Virtual Intelligence, not a true Machine Intelligence, but is quite adept at it's task. This might seem straightforward; (run into a target and explode) but when one begins to consider countermeasures against missiles, things become complicated and the missile needs to be able to cope and overcome them. The average missile is a stealth-body, and possesses an extended endurance ion drive as well as a high-thrust interception drive and a primary booster engine. Missiles do utilize a gravitic offset field generator to reduce the mass the engines and drives have to accelerate, also it assists maneuverability greatly as the same effect makes it's onboard flight-control systems that much more effective. After launch, a missile immediately accelerates to a minimum of fifty-percent the speed of light, engage their stealth systems and coast towards the target or target location with Passive sensors running. Upon reaching engagement range, the missile verifies target profile based on it's pre-launch data and then arms it's warhead package, running it's mass-offset field to maximum and lights it's interception drive. Final (Terminal) approach sees the missiles active sensors operating as the missile begins evasive maneuvers and launches it's warhead package. The standard missile carries a package of ten warheads 'STAR SWORDS' The Star Sword weapons sytem is one of the most catastrophically devastating Strategic-class weapons in the Sovereignty arsenal. The kind of weapon you only have to fire once. Simple in theory, the Star Sword is used only in extraordinary situations. The Star Sword generates a solar coronal-ejection flare many more times powerful than what can be seen in natural occurences, and that is targetted so it intersects a world or worlds in a given solar system. The effect is quite similar to what would happen with a flamethrower used against a model globe and the distance in feet between them is based on the number of light-minutes from the star the targetted world is. For Earth, this would equate to 8 feet (an AU). Think about it...these weapons can easily turn an entire world like Earth into a white hot globe of molten rock. A Star Sword operates using two functions that happen very closely in timing to each other. A heavily shielded and armored missile penetrates deeply into the star and fires a very high energy Gamma-ray laser down into the star's core and also fires one back along the missile's entry, adjusted for targetting the specified world. Then, the onboard warhead detonates in both directions. The warhead is 1000 Kg of heavy-water-density Anti-Proton plasma held electrostatically suspended and mixed with 1000 Kg of heavy-water-density Proton plasma. The efficiency of conversion to energy is on the order of 99.897 %, and the entire conversion of the warhead mass takes 1.7 Picoseconds. A Picosecond: One picosecond is equal to 1000 femtoseconds, or 1/1000 nanosecond. The aftereffects on the star itself are quite pronounced and typically render the star destabilized, making it prone to fluctuations and bursts frequently and randonly for the rest of it's life, and shortens a G2 Main Sequence star's life by at least a full fifth of what it would have normally. Starswords are named for the coronal mass-ejection-flare, that strikes out at targetted worlds like a sword and punch right through Geomagnetic fields like a sword through cloth armor. A single Starsword not only can totally destroy worlds out to Saturn's equivalent distance from a G2 Main star, but the side effects also render the solar system itself ''extremely ''hazardous for even the largest and most heavily-shielded/armored space vessels. After the primary detonation, secondary, random flares and mass ejections occur steadily for about a week afterwards as the star regains what equilibrium it can. The radiation and such typically renders most if not all worlds scoured clean of life during this time unless such life is beneath a quarter mile of solid metal-rich rock and seawater. ''Strategic ''means that Starswords are used like ICBMs are. They can be and usually are fired from large space vessels such as BattleCarriers, and shortly after launch engage their own FtL systems, navigate to the star system and then engage in high-order stealth-running and evasion randomization of their approach to ensure maximum chances of success. Firing authorization must come from a unanimous Council decision, the vessel's Captain and Machine Intelligence must also agree, then a missile's Code key and two Firing keys are needed to launch. In Sovereignty history, they have only been fired as tests twice, and in War three times. In one instance during war, the targetted star underwent a supernova detonation a day after the Starsword did it's work, but the star in question was already somewhat unstable and a blue giant.